Looper for sewing-machines.



No. 677,886. Patented July 9, l90l. H. P. RICHARDS. LOOP-ER FOB SEWINGMACHINES.

4 Sheets8heet I.

(Application filed Apr. 15, 1898.!

(No Model.)

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No. 677,886. Patented July 9, WIN. a. P. RICHARDS.

LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES..

(Agplicat'wn filed Apr. 15, 1898.).

4 Sheets- Sheet 2 (No Model.)

Inventor 111: 300mm mint ca. mmmm. wummm. n. c.

No. 677,886. Patented July 9, l90l. H. P. RICHARDS.

LDOPEB FOR SEWING MACHINES.

' (Application filed Apr. 15 1898.) (No mm.)

Inventor V 4' Sheets-Sheet 3.

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1 5:??? 1 r nk No. 677,886. Patented July 9, |90l.

H. P. RICHARDS.

LOOPEB FOB SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Apr. 15, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheeis-Sheat 4.

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(UNITED STATES PATENT amen.

IiUBERT P. RICHARDS, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO J;

EVARTS TRACY,' OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY;

LOOPER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of renters Patent No. 677,886, dated m 9,leer.-

Application filed April 15, 18 98. Serial No- 67'7,729. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUBERT P. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing in New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLoopers for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to a sewing-machine of a class such asdescribed, for instance, in Letters Patent of the United States No.574,573, granted to Francis H. Richards January 5, 1897, to whichreference may be had, in which machine the stitch-making mechanismincludes a rotary'looper having a series of loop-takers or hooks and inwhich the succeeding loops of the needle-thread are engaged by saidloop-takers or hooks to be carried around the looper to inclose a secondor lower thread to form a lock-stitch or carried through precedingloopsto form a chainstitch or a chain lock-stitch and the essence of mypresent invention more particu-. larly resides in the looper for asewing-machine of this general class.

In rotary looper mechanisms generally, and more particularlyinstitchmaking mechanisms such as describedfin the patent referred to, theonly means employed for determining, and this in a very indefinite andunsatisfactory manner,the positions at which successive loops arereleased or slackened during the rotation of the looper has been theloop-takers or hooks themselves or their loopholding portions, and noloop-takers or hooks of the looper have heretofore been provided whichwould positively insure the release or the termination in the drawingout of the successive loops at a predetermined definite point in therotation of the looper and in the proper time with relation to apredetermined position of the needle, so as to determine with accuracythe exact length of each succeeding loop and limit the amount of threaddrawn from the spool immediately following thecomplete drawing up of thepreceding loop or the completion of the preceding stitch. Consequentlyin stitch-making mechanism of this class as heretofore constructed andorganized the difiiculty or disadvantages experienced by theindefiniteness as regards the point of location in the orbit of thelooptakers or hooks at which succeeding loops have been released orslackened has been such as to greatly impair the successful operationand commercial value of the machine. Practical experiments havedemonstrated the fact that no dependence could be placed upon the hooksor loop-carrying portions thereof alone for carrying the successiveloops dur- 6o ing the rotative movement of the looper up to apredetermined point and in a drawingout position on the hook and thensuddenly releasing or slackening said loops; but, on the contrary, thesuccessive loops would be released or slackened at different points inthe orbit of the hooks, consequently resulting in the drawing out ofsaid loops to different lengths, this frequently resulting in a deferredcompletion of the preceding stitch, a 7o premature drawing down ofthread from the spool, and a breaking of the thread through the unduestrain imposed upon it by thread for the succeeding loop being drawnfrom the preceding loop and from the spool at the same time. A furtherdisadvantage heretofore experienced in this class of mechanism andresulting from the uncertainty both as to time and position at whichsuccessive loops are released during the rotative movement of the looperis the formation of too much slack in some loops and too little in otherloops to insure the complete drawing up of the preceding stitches by thesucceeding loops concurrently with the arrival of the needle and theloop-carrying hook of the looper at predetermined relative positions andthe drawing down of a uniform quantityof thread from the spool by asucceeding loop immediately following the complete closing up of thepreceding stitch, as is a necessary requirement to perfect the operationof the stitch-making mechanism.

The principal object of my present inven tion is to furnish an improvedstitch-making 5 mechanism including means for overcoming the above-noteddisadvantages and difficulties experienced in sewing with this class ofstitch-making mechanisms of ordinary construction and organization.

A further object of my'present invention is to provide in asewing-machine improved stitch-making mechanism comprising needlemechanism embodying a reciprocatory needle, complemental loopermechanism operable in proper timing with theneedle mechanism andembodying a rotary looper having a loop-taker or hook disposed to engagethe successive loops of the needle-thread and for carrying the samearound said looper, and means independent of but cooperative with theloop-taker or hook for holding the loop at the loop-carrying portion ofsaid hook and in a drawing-out position during the movement of thelooper through a predetermined are and until said looper and needlearrive at predetermined relative positions and for suddenly releasingand thereby terminating the farther drawing out of said loop immediatelyupon the arrival of said hook and needle at such position.

In the drawings accom pan yin g and form in g part of this specificaiiomFigure 1 represents, in front elevation, partially in section, asewing-machine embodying my improved stitchmaking mechanism. Fig. 2 isan edge view,on

of the stitch-making mechanism embodying myinvention. Fig. 3 is a sideview of that portion of the looper shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 4 to 13,inclusive, are detail views illustrating successive positions of thelooper, needle, and loop during one complete cycle of movements thereofor during the operation of forming one stitch, and Fig. M is agraphicaldiagram illustrating a series of successive positions of one loop duringone complete rotation of the looper and indicating the relation of thebight of said loop to the holding portion of the hook or loop-takercarrying said loop.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

Preparatory to a detailed description of the construction, organization,and operation of the several elements comprised in my improvements it isdesired to state that the term rotary looper as employed in thisspecification and in the annexed claims signifies any suitable devicefor engaging and so manipu latin g the successive loops of theneedle-thread as to form in connection with the needle mechanismsuccessive stitches, and which device may be in the nature of a shuttleand embody means for carrying a second or lower thread, as required formaking a lock-stitch, or may be constructed without means for carryingthe second or lower thread and be operable for making a chain-stitch.

The looper mechanism in which the essence of my present inventionresides is applicable to various kinds of sewing-machines; but forconvenience this mechanism is shown in connection with a sewing-machinewhich in general construction, organization, and operation issubstantially the same as that described in the Patent No. 574,573,hereinbefore referred to, only so much of the machine being shown in theaccompanying drawings as is deemed necessary clearly to illustrate theapplication and mode of operation of the looper mechanism with relationto the cooperative elements of said machine, reference being had to thepatent referred to for a more complete understanding of the operation ofthose features of the machine which are only briefly described herein.

The framework of the'machine, which may be of any suitable construction,is shown comprising a horizontal bed-plate 2 at one end thereof, havinga bracket 2, a throat-plate 3 at one end thereof, the hollow upright 4at the opposite end of the bed-plate, the hollow horizontal arm 5 abovethe bed-plate, and

the vertical needle-bar-receiving head 6 at the outer end of the arm 5and above the throat-plate 3.

As in the majority of sewing-machines of the class specified, thestitch-making mechanism as a whole comprises three cooperativemechanisms-4o wit, the needle mechanism, the looper'mechanism, and thefeeding mechanismall of which are connected for cooperative andproperly-timed movements. an exaggerated scale, of a portion of a looper1 The needle mechanism shown in the accoin :panying drawings comprises aneedle-bar N,

supported for reciprocatory movements preferably in a tubularprelsser-bar 7, in turn supported for vertical move ments in the head 6of the frame, said needle-bar having a needle N at the lower endthereof, a needle-baractuating shaft D, journaled in the arm 5 of ,themachine, and a connecting-actuator 0 (shown as a crank and arm) betweensaid j shaft and needle-bar, the needle-bar-actuating shaft being shownfurnished with the band-wheel 7, whereby the same may be driven.

- The feed mechanism is shown comprising a universal feed-lever 8,having a feed-bar S at the forward end thereof and actuated by aeam 9,fixed to a vertical shaft D, connected by a one-to-one train of gears dto the needle-bar-actuating shaft D.

The looper mechanism is shown comprising a-looper S, a combinedlooper-support and driver S, disposed with its axis oblique to the axisof rotation of the looper, and a drivenactuating shaft D shown connectedlique to the path of movement of the needle N, and the looper-driver isshown disposed with its axis in a horizontal plane; but it will beobvious that the looper may be disposed in a vertical planecorresponding to the vertical path of the needle and they driver beingdisposed at an angle thereto, if desired. For convenience the looper Sis shown in the accompanying drawings located between a series ofcircumferentially-disposed rolls, each of which is designated by 1",which rolls are supported on studs 1*, fixed to the bracket 2'.

The looper S is shown having a series of Y which has at the outer endthereof a looperdriver or driver-pin 22 corresponding to and adapted tofit a driver-socket in the looper. The rotary looper or shuttle S, whichconstitutes an essential element of my present invention, is shown inthe accompanying 4 drawings somewhat similar in general conformation tothe discoidal loop-taker described in the patent referred to, it beingin the nature of a disk having a somewhat V- shaped periphery, and saidlooper being transversely recessed or cut away, preferably at threesubstantially equidistant points in the periphery thereof, to formloop-receiving openings or recesses, (designated by e, e, and crespectively.) One wall of each loop-receiving recess is shown formedwith an inclined portion 27, which terminates at its outer end in aforwardly-extending loop-taker or hook f, and the opposite wall of saidrecess is formed with an inclined portion 28,

which terminates at its outer end in a loopdeliverer g, which isoppositely disposed with respect to the adjacent loop-taker or hook f ofthe same recess. In the form thereof illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings eachloop-retainer, and the other of which, as 31,-

is located at the base of said hook or at its junction with the inclinedwall 27 and constitutes the loop-carrier proper. The loopengagingportions 30 and 31 are so disposed relatively to each other and thelooper is so timed in its movements with respect to the needle that theforward or loop-engaging portion 30 will engage each succeeding loop ofthe needle-threadabout the time the eye of the needle arrives, duringthe first stage of its ascending movement, about contiguous to the lowerportion of the forward end of the hook, and when the preceding loop hasarrived at its greatest slack position and will carry the lower end ofsaid succeeding loop out of the path of the needle and take up aportionof the slack thread contained in the preceding loop during the firststage of said ascending movement of the needle and will release thebight of this loop at about the time the eye of the needle arrives atthe uni der side of the fabric being operated upon, after which thebight of said loop will on the farther advancing movement of the hook bereleased from this portion 30 of said hook and next be engaged by therear loop-engaging portion 31 and carried around the looper, as will beunderstood by reference to Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 14 of the drawings.

To facilitate the movement of the needle in close proximity to one sideface of the loop-taker or hook, the looper has a series ofneedle-receiving grooves formed in the periphery at one side of theloop-takers, as

.shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 4to 13 of the drawings, each needle-receiving groove being disposed in aplane coincident with the path of movement of the needle, asindicated insaid figures.

In stitch-making mechanisms of this class embodying a rotary looper itis, as before stated, extremely important that the succeeding loops ofthe needle-thread be drawn out to corresponding lengths during therotation of the looper through a predetermined arc and released orslackened at a predetermined definite point in the orbit of the hookcarrying such loops, and it'is further desirable that each succeedingloop shall have drawn up the preceding loop and completed the precedingstitch before thread is drawn from the spool to complete this loop toprovide the slack necessary for the making of the next succeedingstitch, and it is furthermore extremely important that all thesucceeding loops shall draw from the spool the same amount of thread-anamount equal to that utilizedin each stitch-so that no more thread willbe contained in one loop than can be drawn up by the next succeedingloop during the orbital movement of the hook carrying said loop throughits loop-drawing-up are. As a means for insuring the retention of thebight of each succeeding loop in the loop-carrying portion 31 of eachhook up to a predetermined point in the orbit of said hook'and untilsaid hook and needle have arrived at predetermined relative positionsand for suddenly releasing and permitting the slackening of said loop onthe arrival of said hook and needle at such predetermined position, Ihave provided in operative relation with each hook of the looper whatmay be consistently termed a combined loop retaining and releasingdevice, each of which is cooperative during the rotation of the looperwith a looptaker or hook for retaining the loop of the needle-thread inthe loop-carrying portion 31' of and in a drawing-out position on thehook until said hook arrives at a predetermined point in its orbit andfor suddenly releasing taining and releasing device comprises, pref='erably, a fixed parti-circular flange H, located at one side and in therear of the hook J, said flange having its outer edge preferablyconcentric to the axis of the looper and having its side face inclinedor convexed and merging into the side face of said looper. This flangecomprises a loop-retaining portion 35, terminating at its forward end ina rentrant quick-let-olf portion 36, which is shown extending inwardtoward the axis of the looper in a curved path at one side of theloop-receiving recess of the hook f, the junction of the part 36 withthe part 35, forming the let-off point 36, being disposed in suchrelation with the loop-carrying portion 31 of the hook that during acertain portion of and up to a certain point in the orbital movement ofthe hook the let-off point of the loop-holding portion 36 will be, owingto such disposition of the looper and the angular position of the loop,slightly in advance of the loop-carrying portion 31 of said hook andslightly in advance of the loop carried by said hook, and on the arrivalof the hook atapredetermined point in its orbital movement the point 36will, on account of the change in angular position of the loop, be in aposition substantially coincident with or slightly in the rear of theloop and allow the sudden release of the bight of the loop from theloop-carrying portion 31 of the hook, as will be readily understood byreference to the diagram Fig. 14.

of the drawings, which diagram indicates by the substantially radiallines 1 a series of successive positions of one loop during one cycle ofmovements of the loop-taker and indicates by the dots 31' and 36 thecorresponding positions of the loop-holding portion31 of the hook andthe let-oif point 36' of the holding and releasing device 11,respectively, and the peculiar relation of the said let-off point 36' tothe loop. This diagram further indicates certain positions of the needlewhen the loop-carrying portion 31 is at certain positions and alsoindicates at what point the preceding loop is drawn up by the succeedingloop, at whatpoints in the orbit of the hook the succeeding loop is inits greatest slack position, where said succeeding loop is retightened,and where it begins to be drawn up by the next preceding loop.

By reference to the diagram Fig. 14 it will be understood that duringthe travel of the loop-carrying portion 31 of the hook from the position50 to the position 58 the succeeding loop is drawing up the precedingloop, it hav ing completed the drawing up of said preceding loop by thetime said portion 3] arrives at the point 58, said complete drawing upof the preceding loop having taken place immediately after thecompletion of the feeding of the fabric, which takes place during thetravel of said holding portion 31 from the position 541 to the position57. During the travel of this carrying portion 31 from the positiondesignated by 59 to the position designated by 61 the loop carriedthereby draws thread from the spool, since as the previous loop has beenfully drawn up at this time it is necessary that the new loop havesufiicient additional thread from the spool to form the next stitch.When the loop carried by the portion 31 arrives at the positionindicated at 61, it passes over the let-off point 36-of the loopretaining and releasing device H, so that the bight of the loop isthereby suddenly released from the carrying portion 31 of the hook,whereupon it quickly slides down the inclined wall 27 of theloop-recess, thus causing said loop to quickly slacken, it remaining ina slack condition until the carrying portion 31 arrives substantially atthe position indicated at (Sat, when it begins to retighten by thedescent of the needle since the needle again penetrates the work andcarries the thread running from a previous loop with it, (see Fig. 10,)and consequently draws the slack thread of said loop with it, as it isnot held under tension, as is the spool-thread, which needle arrives atits lowest point when the holding-point is about at the positionindicated at 65.

From the above it will be seen that the device H acts during a certainperiod, owing to its location, to prevent the bight of the loop frompassing down the inclined wall 27 of the loop-taker recess, but thatwhen such device arrives at a point where, owing to the angle of theloop, the bight of such loop passes free of the point 36 it no longerprevents such loop from passing down said wall 27. Consequently itfollows that when the looper has carried the thread into a certainangular position the point 36' is no longer efiective to prevent thethread from passing down such wall 27,,so that this device H, owing toits location relatively to and its movement with the looper, permits andthereby effects at this time the release of such thread from thecarrying part 31 of the hook. The device thus acts in a positive mannerto retain the loop in a certain position during a predetermined periodand works during another period in what might be considered a passivemanner to eifect the release of the loop-bight, although the resultwhich is accomplished is none the less positive in its action.

After the carrying portion 31 of the hook arrives at the positionindicated at 68 the bight of the loop, which at this time is at the baseor inner portion of the loop-recess, is carried up the inclined wall 28ofthe loop-recess by the drawing out of the next succeeding loop, whichdraws up the aforesaid loop.

By providing the looper with a loop retaining and releasing flangedisposed, as hereinbefore described, with relation to the loopcarryingportion of the hook I am, in the manner clearly and elaborately setforth in the preceding description, enabled to insure the retention ofthe bight of the loop in a loopdrawing position and in the base orloop-carrying portion 31 of the hook up to a predetermined point in theorbit of said hook and IIO prevent a premature release and slackening ofsaid loop, which has been one of the greatest disadvantages in loopermechanisms of this class as heretofore constructed, and I am alsoenabled to positively insure the releasing and slackening of the loop atthe proper time in the orbit of the hook and in proper relation with themovements of the needle.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A stitch-making mechanismembodying a rotary looper having one or more circumferentially-disposedloop-takers or hooks, and having for each of said hooks a combined loopretaining and releasing device located adjacent to the periphery of saidlooper and cooperating with such hooks to retain each successive loop inthe same predetermined position on said hook during the rotary movementof the looper and during the drawing out of such loop, and to effect therelease and thereby permit the slackening of the successive loops fromsuch position on said hook at the same predetermined definite point inthe orbit thereof.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with needle mechanismincludinga needle, of complemental looper mechanism operable in propertiming with the needle mechanism and including a rotary looper having alooptakeror hook disposed to engage the successive loops of theneedle-thread and carry the same around said looper, and meansindependent of, but cooperative'with, the loopt-aker or hook for holdingeach successive loop in the same predetermined position on said hook andin a drawing-out position during the movement of the looper through apredetermined arc, and until said looper and needle arrive atpredetermined relative positions, and for suddenly releasing, andthereby terminating the further drawing out of, said loopimmediatelyupon the arrival ofsaid hook and needle at said positions.

3. In a stitch-making mechanism, the combination of a needle; a rotarylooper disposed in cooperative relation with the needle and having aperipheral loop-taker or hook, and also having a loop retaining andreleasing flange disposed at one side of said hook and separatedtherefrom by a needlereceiving groove, said flange operating to retaineach successive loop in the same predetermined position on said hookduring the drawing out of each loop and having a quick let-off pointdisposed in such position relatively to the loop-carrying portion ofsaid hook as to permit and thereby effect a release of the loop fromsaid portion at a predetermined definite point in the orbital movementof said hook; and means for actuating the needle and looper in propertiming.

4. In a sewing-machine having a reciprocatory needle and aneedle-actuator, the combination of complemental looper mechanismembodying a rotary looper having in the periphery thereof one or moreloop-receiving openings or recesses one wall of each recess of whichterminates in a loop-taker or hook having at the base thereof aloop-carrying portion, said looper also having formed integral therewithone or more parti circular flanges corresponding in number with saidopenings and disposed at one side, and in the rear, of said hook orbooks, respectively, and each flange terminating at the forward endthereof in a qnick-let-otf point disposed in such relation to thecarrying portion of the hook that up to acertain point in the orbitalmovement of the hook said let-off point will be located slightly in therear of one portion of the loop, and will at a predetermined point insaid orbit come into alinement with said loop and permit and therebyeffect a sudden release of said loop from the carrying portion of saidhook; and means for rotating the looper in proper timing with thereciprocatory movement of the needle.

5. A stitch-making mechanism including a rotary looper rotatablecontinuously in one direction and having one or more loop-takers orhooks each of which has at the forward end thereof a loop-engagingportion extend ing from the face of said hook to engage and temporarilyhold the bight of the loop near the extreme point of the hook andprevent its passage toward the base of the hook during the rotarymovement of the looper, and each of which also has a loop-carryingportion at the base of such hook for carrying the loop during anotherpart of the rotary movement of the looper.

V 6. 'A stitch-making mechanism including a rotary looper having one ormore loop-takers,

each of which has a loop-engaging portion at the forward end and aloop-carrying portion at the base thereof, and which loop-engagingportion is adapted during the rotation of the looper to engage andtemporarily hold the bight of the loop near the extreme point of theloop-taker, said looper also having one or more combined loop retainingand releasing devices one for each of said loop-takers and cooperativewith said loop-taker or loop-takers for efiecting the release andslackening of the successive loops at a predetermined definite point inthe orbit of said loop-taker.

7. A stitch-making mechanism including a rotary'looper having one ormore loop-takers or hooks each of which has a loop-engaging portion atthe forward end thereof and a loopcarrying portion at the base thereofand which loop'engaging portion is adapted during the rotation of thelooper to engage and temporarily hold the bight of the loop near theextreme point of the hook, said looper also having one or more combinedloop retaining and releasing flanges one for each of said loop.- takersand disposed at one side of said hook or hooks and-having aquick-let-oif point disposed in such position relatively to the loopcarrying portion of the hook as to effect a re lease of the loop fromsaid loop-carrying portion at a predetermined definite point in theorbital movement of said hooka IIO 8. A looper having a plurality ofsuccessively-located loop-takers, and a plurality ofsuccessively-located combined loop retaining and releasing devices, onefor each of said loop-takers, and each cooperating with its loop-takerto effect the release and slackening of successive loops on saidloop-taker at the same predetermined definite point in the orbit thereofand on the termination of the drawing out of such loop.

9. A looper having one or more loop-takers, and one or more loopretaining and releasing devices, one for each of said loop-takers, andeach cooperating with its loop-taker to effect the release andslackening of successive loops from said loop-taker at the samepredetermined definite point in the orbit thereof and on the terminationof the drawing out of such loop.

10. A looper having. one or more loop-receiving recesses eachterminating in a loopj loop-taker.

taker, and one or more combined loop retaining and releasing flanges,one for each of said loop-takers, each integral with, and disposed f 1inclined wall terminating in a loop-taker or V hook and havingintermediate such inclined wall and said hook a loop-carrying recess,

at one side of, said looper and cooperative with its loop-taker toprevent during the drawing out of a loop the passage of said loop downthe wall of said recess, and to permit and thereby effect the releaseand slackening of successive loops on said loop-taker at a predeterminedpoint in the orbit thereof and on the termination of the drawing out ofsuch loop.

11. Alooper havingone or moreloop-takers or hooks, the beak of each ofwhich has on its under side at its forward end an abruptlypresented wallfacing toward the point of the loop-taker and forming a'loop-engagingportion, said beak also having at its base a loopcarrying portion, saidloop-engaging portion being adapted during the movement of the looper toengage and temporarily hold the bight of a loop near the starting-pointof such beak and prevent its passage toward the base thereof.

l2. Alooper having one or more loop-takers each of which has aloop-engaging portion at its forward end and a loop-carrying portion atthe base thereof, and which loop-engaging portion is adapted during themovement of the looper to engage and temporarily hold the bight of theloop near the extreme point of the loop-taker, said looper also havingone or more combined loop retaining and releasing devices one for eachof said loop-takers and cooperative with said loop-taker or looptakersfor efiecting the release and slackenin g of the successive loops at apredetermined definite point in the orbit of said loop-taker.

13. Alooper having one or more loop-takers each of which has aloop-engaging portion at its forward end and a loop-carrying portion atthe base thereof, and which loop-engaging portion is adapted during themovement of the looper to engage and temporarily hold the bight of theloop near the extreme point of the loop-taker, said looper also havingone or more combined loop retaining and releasing flanges one for eachof said loop-takers disposed at one side of, and cooperative with, saidloop-taker and having a quick-let-off point disposed in such positionrelatively to the loop-carrying portion of said loop-taker as to efiecta release of the loop from said loop-carrying portion at a predetermineddefinite point in the orbital movement of said 14. A looper having oneor more peripheral loop-receiving recesses each provided with an saidlooper also having a loop retaining and releasing flange located at oneside of said loop-taker and provided with a quick-let-off point disposedadjacent to the loop-carrying recess of said loop-taker and having acutaway portion below said point, thereby to permit the loop when it haspassed such let-off point, in the rotary movement of the looper, to bedrawn down the inclined wall of said recess.

15. A looper having a peripheral loop-receiving recess terminating in aloop-taking hook, said hook having means at its free end for temporarilyholding the bight of a loop near the extreme point thereof and havingmeans at its base for carrying the loop during a predetermined period,and also having 'means disposed in position and effective to retain thebight of the loop at said base dur ing a predetermined period and toquickly and efiectively permit the release of said loop from saidloop-carrying portion, thereby to permit the bight of the loop to bedrawn into said loop-receiving recess.

HUBERT P. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

F. N. GHAsn, JOHN 0. SEIFERT.

